Methods of and means for wrapping block-shaped articles



Jan. 6, 1959 c. T. HALL l METHDS OF AND MEANS FOR WRAPPING BLOCK-SHAPED ARTICLES Filed sept. `11, 195e 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 CHARLES T HALL BY Jan. 6, 1959 `c3. T. HALL 2,867,065

METEoDs oF AND MEANS EoR WRAPPING BLOCK-SHAPED ARTICLES Filed sept. 11, 1956 s sheets-sheet 2 VVE/V702 CH'RLES HALL;

@Y MMI/www@ ATTNXS' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 C. T, HALL /M/eA/me CHARLES T. HALL wm Ma/VWM Arrow/X5 METHODS OF' AND MEANS FOR WRAPPING BI..OCKSl-IAPEDv ARTICLES Filed Sept. 1l, 1956 Jan. 6, 1959 QR, mm o EN rates METHODS F AND MEANS FOR WRAPPING BLOCK-SHAPED ARTICLES Application September 11, 1956, Serial No. 609,221

Claims priority, application Great Britain September 16, 1955 5 Claims. (Cl. 53-17 0) This invention concerns improvements in or relating to methods of and means for wrapping block-shaped articles, such as batches of cigarettes, and in particular with the wrapping of such an article so as to enclose it in two vseparate pieces of wrapping material, each of which encloses part of the article and one of which may overlap part of the other. This produces a composite wrapper, one part of which can be removed to expose part of the article. Where the article is a batch of cigarettes, the two separate parts of the wrapper may be wrapped around the oppostie ends of the cigarettes, and thus when the wrapped batch is contained in an outer container such as a cardboard packet, one part of the wrapper can be withdrawn and discarded by the consumer in order to expose the ends of the cigarettes.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of wrapping a block-shaped article (e. g. a batch of cigarettes) comprising the steps of moving the article sideways and folding a piece of wrapping material about part of the article so as to enclose said part, and subsequently moving the article lengthwise and folding a further piece of material about the remaining part of the article, so as to enclose said remaining part and so that the said further piece partly overlaps the rst said piece.

Further according to the invention there is provided, in the wrapping of cigarettes, a method which comprises the steps of feeding a batch of cigarettes sideways (i. e. in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axes of the cigarettes) folding a piece of wrapping material about one end part of the batch while gripping the other end part, subsequently moving the batch lengthwise (i. e. in the direction of the longitudinal axes of the cigarettes), and folding a further piece of wrapping material about the said other end part so as to complete the enclosure of the batch and so that-the said further piece partly overlaps the rst said piece.

Still further according to the invention there is provided, in cigarette wrapping apparatus, means to feed a batch of cigarettes in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axes of the cigarettes, means to grip one end part of the batch, means to fold a piece of wrapping material about the other end part while the said one end part is being gripped, means to move the partly wrapped batch in the direction of the longitudinal axes of the cigarettes so as to expose the said one end part of the batch, and means to fold a further piece of wrapping material about the said one part so as to complete the enclosure of the batch and so that the said further piece partly overlaps the first said p1ece.

Still further according to the invention there is provided, in wrapping apparatus, conveyor means comprising open-ended pockets each adapted to hold an end part of a batch of cigarettes (e. g. under compression) with the opposite end part of the batch projecting from the pocket, the said conveyor means being arranged to move said pockets so as to convey the cigarettes sideways, that is, transversely of the lengths of the cigarettes, and thereby CFI '2,867,065 Fatented Jan. 6, 1959 2 to move the projecting part of the batch'sideways into engagement with a piece of wrapping material, and means to wrap said wrapping material about the projecting part of the batch. The apparatus may comprise means to push the batch lengthwise through the pocket so that the wrapped part of the batch passes through the-pocket.

The apparatus may further comprise means to move the partly wrapped batch lengthwise, with the unwrapped end part of the batch leading, so as to cause the leading end of the batch to`engage a further piece of wrapping material, and means to fold said further piece about the said leading end part so as to complete the wrapping of the batch.

The said conveyor means may comprise a member movable with (e. g. carried by) a pocket and arranged to be resiliently urged towards thesaid projecting part of a batch of cigarettes, so as to press against a portion of the wrapping material which has been folded about said part and thereby to hold the said portion in place against the cigarettes. Means may be provided to cause the said member to move away from the cigarettes to permit the wrapping material to be folded about them, and to cause it thereafter to press against the said material.

Apparatus according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a wrapping machine;

Figure, 2 is a plan view of a part of Figure l, to a greatly enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is an elevation of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view showing a detail of Figure 3, taken in the direction of the arrow IV, Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a partly Wrapped batch of cigarettes; and

Figure 6 is a similar view of a 'batch completely wrapped.

Referring rst to Figure 1, the machine comprises a cigarette hopper 1 with sloping side walls 2 leading down to an aperture 3 through which cigarettes can leave the hopper. Pusher means (not shown) are provided to push successive batches of cigarettes from beneath the hopper into successive compartments 4 of an intermittently rotatable wheel 5. The wheel 5 carries each successive batch of cigarettes downwardly, during which time any desired detecting or other operation may be carried out, for example mechanical feeling of the ends of the cigarettes.

Each batch in turn is then ejected from its compartment 4 on to a bed 6, by means of a pusher carried by an endless conveyor such as a chain conveyor (not shown). The pusher moves the cigarettes lengthwise between slightly converging side guides 7 by which each batch of cigarettes is slightly compressed. A top plate (not shown) is provided to control the cigarettes while the batch is thus being compressed.

A further bed 8 is arranged at right angles to the bed 6. The bed 8 comprises a chain conveyor which carries open-ended pockets 9 across the bed .in the direction shown by the arrow and then beneath it. The pockets move intermittently step by step, and are arranged while passing beneath the bed to be stationed, one after the other, inline with the batches B of cigarettes on the bed 6. Each such batch is pushed lengthwise into a pocket by the above-mentioned pusher. In each case the batch of cigarettes is inserted only part-way into a pocket, part of a batch projecting from the pocket, as shown in Figure 1 where the projecting parts of batches of cigarettes are marked B.

Thus the pockets 9 hold the batches of cigarettes and move them sideways, that is, transversely of their longitudinal axes.

A web of wrapping material W, .of metallic foil or any other suitable flexible material, is fed down into the path of the projecting parts of the batches B, and as the latter continue their intermittent sideways movement along the bed S, pieces -c-nt from the web W in any suitable way are wrapped around these projecting parts in a manner which will be described later.

This wrapping operation .encloses the projecting end parts of the batches, and produces partly wrapped batches such as that illustrated in Figure 5.

lContinued movement of the pockets f9l brings the partly wrapped batches of cigarettes -beneath the bed to an ejecting station where the batches are ejected, -by any suitable pushing means, on to a third bed '10. The ejection .of a batch 'from a pocket causes the cigarettes to move lengthwise through and out of the pocket, with the unwrapped -part .of the batch (which -was contained inthe pocket) leading.

A continuous conveyor having pusher element-s (not show-n) pushes successi-ve Vbatches along the bed .in the direction shown by the arrow, between .side guides 11. The pusher ele-ments can, if desired, be arranged to eject the batches from the pockets, which have apertures -to allow passage of the pusher elements, or if desired a suitable reciprocating pusher may be provided for this purpose.

A second web of wrapping material W is disposed in the path of oncoming batches on the bed 1t), and pieces cut in any suitable way from this web are Wrapped around the exposed, leading end parts of the batches Aby folders of conventional type, indicated by the reference F. The pieces of material thus wrapped about the leading end parts of the batches are of a .suitable length to overlap the material previously folded about the rear ends of the batches, and the completed wrapping is as shown in Figure v6. It will be noticed yfrom Figures 5 and 6 that the two styles of wrapping .are different, since the first wrapping operation is performed -while the cigarettes are moving sideways, and the second while they are moving endwise.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 show the arrangements for folding the foil about the parts of batches projecting from the `pockets 9.

The wrapping material Wis disposed vertically -in the path of the exposed part of an approaching batch, Figures 2 and 3. Top and bottom guides 12 and 13, Figure 3, are provided just beyond the web, and serve to fold the wrapping material into U form about the project-ing part of -a batch as the latter moves to the right as viewed in Figure 3. The trailing ends, forming the limbs of the U (shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 2), are folded one after the .other against the rearrnost face of the batch, that is, the left -face as -viewed in Figure 3, and end tucks and end folds are then 4formed on the exposed end face of the batch, -in a manner about to be described.

Each pocket v9 has a member 14 pivotally mounted on it and pivoted at 15. The member 14 is spring-urged in a direction to move it towards the cigarettes projecting from th-e pocket, and is provided with a roller 16. The roller 16 is adapted to be intercepted by a finger 17 4which is movable up and down so as 'to intercept the roller 16 only at certain times. When the finger is down and the pocket is moving to the right, Figures 2 and 3, the member 14 is swung away from the cigarettes by engagement between the roller and the Afinger 17. The purpose of this arrangement is to enable the foil to be folded against the rear face of the projecting part of the batch. The member 14- is shown yin dot and dash klines in Figure 2 in its swung-back position.

Folding of the trailing ends of the foil is effected by folders 18 and 19 which are operated one after lthe other. The movements of the Vfinger 17 and -folders 18 Aand 19 are controlled by cams 20, 21 and 22 respectively (Figure 3), which cause first the finger 17 to move down to intercept a roller 16, next the folder 18 to move upwardly, and next (while the folder 18 is withdrawing) the folder 19 to move downwardly. While the folder 19 is withdrawing the finger 17 moves away from the roller 16 and thus allows the member 14 to swing over and press against the folded foil.

The linger 17 is mounted on an arm 23 pivoted at 23a and connected by links 23b and 23e to a lever 24 which is Vpivoted at 25 and carries a roller 26 which rides on the edge of the cam 20.

The folder 18 is mounted on a lever 27 pivoted at 28 and provided with .a roller 29 which rides on the cam 21.

The folder 19 is mounted on a lever 30 pivoted at 31. A link 32 connects the -lever 30 to a lever 33, pivoted at 28, and carrying a roller 34 which rides on the cam 22.

The three cams 20, 21 and 22 are fixed on a shaft 3S by which they are rotated in the direction shown by the arrow, Figure 3. In the drawing the folding of the trailing ends `of the wrapper against the left-hand face (as viewed in Figure 3) .of a batch of cigarettes is assumed .to have just been completed, and the folders and the finger 17 `are all in their inoperative positions.

A .stationary er 3,6 is arranged to intercept that part of the foil which .extends from the leading face of a batch (i. e. the right-hand face in Figures 2 and 3) so as to form an end tuck as the batch moves past it. This end .tuck will of course be formed before the folders -18 and 19 .come into .operation as just described. After the folders 1S .and 19 have folded the foil against the rear face Vof .the batch, a movable er 37 (see Figure 2) swings into engagement with the foil extending from .that rear face, and forms a tuck as shown in Figure 2. This .occurs before the folder 19 has completely withdrawn, so that the folder 19 is still in engagement with the foil until the .tuck has been formed and the tue-ker 37 -is pressing aaginst the tucked foil and thus helping .to hold the folds in place before the member 14 moves against the foil. The tucker 37 after forming the tuck stays in .the position shown in full lines until the batch has moved far enough Ato the right to bring the newly-formed tuck into engagement with the stationary tucker bar 3.6 which thereafter holds it in place. The .tucker 37 then swings back to a position indicated in Figure 2 by dot .and dash lines.

The tucker 37 is pivoted at 38 and is xed to a lever 39 having .a roller 40 which engages a cam 41 mounted on .the shaft 35.

The end folds .extending from the upper and lower faces ofthe batch ,are folded on to .theend face by folders 42 and y43, Figures 2 and 4. For the sake of `clearness these folders .are notshown in Figure 3. They are formed on arms 44 and 45 respectively, -both larms being pivoted at 46. The arm 44 carries a roller 47 which is engaged by ,a cam 4.8, 'while the arm 45 has a similar roller 47a (not visible in Figure 4) which is engaged by a cam 48a, both cams being mounted ,on a shaft 49.

The lower folder 42 is the first to operate, and after it :has moved upwardly to form the lower fold against the end face of the batch, it withdraws and the upper folder 43 `moves .down and folds down the upper fold. In Figures 2 vand 4 the upper folder 43 is `shown in its downward position having just folded the upper fold down over the lower fold. It remains in this position until the batch has moved far enough to (the right for `the folds to be Vengaged and held in place .by a guide 50, Figures 2 and 3.

This completes the folding of the `foil about the exposed end part of -a -batch of cigarettes, which at this stage is in the condition shown in Figure V5.

Tzhe conveyor carrying gthe 'pockets then passes over a sprocket 51, carrying ,the pockets downwardly to an ejecting `station LE, Figure 3. The lguide 50 as shown in Figure 3 vextends alongside the arcuate path ,of `the pockets so as to remain Ain engagement with the end folds of the foil and hold them in position against the end face of a batch.

The ejecting station E is located above the bed 10, and as stated above, an endless conveyor (not shown) having `pusher pieces is arranged to push the` partlywrapped batches lengthwise along this bed. As shown in Figure 3, the bed 16 is slotted to allow a pusher to project upwardly through it, and as seen in Figures 2 and 3, each of the pockets is slotted at 52 to permit a pusher to pass through the pocket from end to end. Preferably the batches are ejected from their respective pockets by successive pushers P, Figure 3, on the conveyor associated with the bed 10, each pusher being suitably slotted as shown to accommodate fixed guides such as 53 which control the end folds of the batches before they are engaged by pushers. As can be seen in Figure 2, the inner edges of the pocket walls are slightly ared to provide a lead, both for the batches of cigarettes when they are inserted, and for the edges of the foil when the partly wrapped batches are pushed through the pockets and ejected on to the bed 10. As stated above, a suitable reciprocating pusher can if desired be provided to eject the batches, and in this case the operative face of the pusher could form a continuation of the guide 50 and thus help to control the end folds, while a batch is moving sideways into position in front of the pusher. In that case a pusher on the endless conveyor could engage a batch after ejection.

The wrapping of the rest of the batch has already been described with reference to Figure l. This occurs while the batch is moving lengthwise, and the foil W2 is thus formed into U form about the leading end of the batch, with the base of the U covering the leading end faces of the cigarettes, and the trailing ends of the limbs of the U partly overlapping the foil which was previously wrapped about the other end of the batch. End tucks are formed at the leading corners of the batch, by stationary tuckers, and side folds are formed by stationary folders, in the conventional way. The completed wrapping is as shown in Figure 6.

In the above description the batches of cigarettes were stated to be somewhat compressed before insertion into their respective pockets. The apparatus described can of course be used to wrap uncompressed batches of cigarettes, but it is of particular use in cases where the cigarettes are to be packed vin compressed batches, since the batches can be laterally controlled by the side walls of the pockets and the members 14, and subsequently by the side guides 11, Figure 1, and a top plate (not shown) over the bed 10. To assist further in the lateral control of the batches, a iixed stop surface 54, Figure 3, is arranged at the ejecting station E, Figure 3, to press against leading side face of the wrapped projecting part of a batch, and a top plate is also ararnged to press the projecting part of the batch against the bed until the batch is ejected.

The batches after being enclosed in foil as described above are then inserted into or otherwise enclosed in outer boxes or other containers in any suitable and convenient way. Preferably, however, that end of the batch which was the first to be wrapped should be arranged at that end ofthe box or container which is to be opened by the consumer so that one of the end folds can be grasped so as to facilitate withdrawal of that part of the foil in order to expose the cigarettes.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In cigarette wrapping apparatus, means to feed a. batch of cigarettes in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axes of the cigarettes, means to grip one end part of the batch, means to fold a piece of wrapping material about the other end part While the said one end part is being gripped, means to move the partly wrapped batch in the direction of the longitudinal axes of the cigarettes so as to expose the said one end part of the batch, and means to fold a further piece of wrapping material about the said one part so as to complete the enclosure of the batch and so that the said further piece partly overlaps the first said piece. Y

2. In wrapping apparatus, conveyor means comprising open-ended pockets each adapted to hold an end part of a batch of cigarettes with the opposite end part of the batch projecting from the pocket, the said conveyor means being arranged to move said pockets so as to convey the cigarettes sideways, that is, transversely of the lengths of the cigarettes, and thereby to move only the projecting part of the batch sideways into engagement with a piece of wrapping material, means to wrap said wrapping material about the projecting part of the batch, and a'member movable lwith a pocket and resiliently urged towards the said projecting part of a batch of cigarettes, so as to press against a portion of the wrapping material which has been folded about said part and thereby to hold the said portion in place against the cigarettes.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, comprising means to move the said member away from the cigarettes to permit the wrapping material to be folded about them, and thereafter to move toward the cigarette to press against the said material.

4. In cigarette wrapping apparatus, a receptacle open at both ends, means to insert a batch of unwrapped cigarettes lengthwise into said receptacle so that one end part of the batch projects therefrom, means to fold a piece of wrapping material about the said one end part, means to push the partly wrapped batch endwise through the receptacle so as to expose the other end part, and means to fold a further piece of wrapping material about thejsaid other end part and in overlapping relationship with, the first said piece of wrapping material. l

5. In cigarette wrapping apparatus, a holder to grip a batch of cigarettes at one end, means to wrap the exposed end of the batch, means to push the batch lengthwise through the holder so that the said one end is exposed, and means to wrap the said one end.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

